Manufacture of gas from fluid fuels



March 17, 1931. o. o. THWING MANUFACTURE OF GAS FROM FLUID FUELS Filed April l, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I x I /NVENTOH ,7/5 ATTORNEY.

March 17, 1931. o, o, w 1,796,733

MANUFACTIJRE OF GAS FROM FLUID FUELS Filed April l, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVEN Of? ,ws ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED 'STATES .PATENT OFFICE v OBEELL 0. TEWING, OI' NEW YORK, N. Y.; ANNIE THWING, EXEGUTBIX OF SAID OBRELL 0. THWING, DECEASED, ASSIGNOB TO GENEBAL GAS COBPOEATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. OORPOBATION OF VIRGINIA monitoruan or ensrnon rLUIn IUELB Application filed April 1,

The invention relates to a retort for the production of a fixed combustible gas and n the specific form shown the retort is parv ticularly adapted to the production of combustible gas'according to a method by which the gas making fuel to wit, liquid hydrocarbon, for example such as fuel oil or gas oil,

or in fact any fuel in fluid form in oontrast to a fuel in solid form, as pulverized coal, u and combustion supporting fluid or gas, to wit, oxygen supplyng medium, as air are introduced (preferably continuously) into a maintained hot gasifying zone under conditions and in proper proportions to cause the necessa reactions to produce the desired gas; an one of the 'characterizing features of this specific aspect of the invention revolves about the maintenance of the ratio of the gas making fuel relative to the com- ,z'bustion supporting gas by increasing the supply of fuel immediately following any temperature increase in the gasi zone and conversel'y by reducing the'supply of fuel immediately following any decrease of temperature, for the reason that a selected or predetermned ratio between these factors must be-maintained with only slight variations in order to produce gas having Satisfactorily constant calorific value and composition. This ratio is not infrequently disturbed in practical operation, either acci dentally or as by obstructions in delivery' means or as by changes in density of the gas making mediums through heating; or, 1ntentionally, as for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the rate at which gas is produced; or as for deliberately changing its characteristies. Any change in the relative proportions of the gas making mediums (combustion su portin as and gas making fuel) is imme 'ately fl owed b a change in the temperature of the asi ying zone. 'For example, if the combuston supporting gas increases relative to the fuel then the temperature of the asifying zone increases' and conversely if te gas making fuel increases relative to the combustion su porting gas the temperature of said zone ecreases. By the retortor gas generator (each name being proper and applicable to the part to chambe 1925. Serial itu. 19,752.

which it relates and is frequently employed herein) to which the invention is directed one is enabled to produce by a continuous method a desired combustible gas of relatively constant composition and within reasonable limits of substantially any desired practically constant calorific value.

It will benoted-that the relative proportions of the gas making ingredients, as the process and reaction proceeds, and the temperature conditions of the gasifyng zone within the' retort become functions o each other and the type of resulting as is dependent upon the factors mentione.

In the manufacture of gas within or by the apparatus shown and described advantage, as above indicated, is taken of the principle that where the gasifying zone becomes too hot the temperature thereof can be lowered by increasing the amount of gas making fuel delivered to the gasifyingzone. This result is realized because the increased fuel supply causesthe heat from the resulting partial combustion within the 'gasifying zone to be less in proportion' to the heat required for gasifying the fuel, with a conseq 'uent lower resulting temperature. There lkewise follows an increased temperature within the gasifying zone if the gas making fuel is reduce'd whereby the heat from the partial combustion correspondjngly increases In proportion to the heat required for gasifying the fuel. i

One object of the invention is to construct a retort so as to maintain a constant predetermined temperature in a gas making chamber of the retort by ensuringpreferably automatically-the proper relative amount of fuel in ratio to the combustion supporting gas so as to. substantially hold constant the prede'termined temperature regardless of fluctuations in the uantity of combustion supporting gas supp ied to the Another object of the invention is to construct the retort so as to automatically maintain a substantially constant predetermined 'gasifying temperature irrespective of any change in the quantities of gas making ingredents,

other control 'means and which retorts do. not have or ot necessity have thermostatic acter in the gas mang industry and' as to' these more generic aspects the invention apg'plies not merely to retorts which employ the thernostat for'maintaining the proper fuel and temperature regulations and cond tions but also to retorts which %may employ means for ensuring the regulation of iiuel and combustion supporting gas in order to' produce within the retorts the desired fixed combnstible gas.

Further aspects and features ot the ihren tion will be lows. V

As illustrating a specific form of apperatus within and by which the' inventions -is apparent from 'that which folrealized or emhodied reference is made to the acconpanying drawing iorrning a part of V this specification and in which drawing,

' Figure 1, is a vertical sectional view'of a gas generator or retort by which' the in- Vention is realized. Figure l is a Vertical View taken as on the plane indicated by the line 1-1 ofFigure 2.

lFigure 2 is a horizontal sectional-view taken as on' the planes indicated hy the broken line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3. is a vertical sectional View of a therrnostat andassociated valve mechanism that is adapted for use in the apparatus of Fi es 1 and 2.

i ferring to the drawing in detail,

The. retort or fluid fuel gas generator l has a gas-tight metal shell 2 which in the main is of sheet steel, a refractory inner'wall or lining 3 and a heat insulating section 4 of' such material as silocel brick, asbestos or other suitable insulating material. At the lowerportion of the retort there is 'a series of refractory-hricks- 5 constituting a' grate upon which' there is supported a bed of refractories 6, as piecesot carborundun; in which there is lodged or embedded a plate .7 of high refract/ory material (as carborundum) tha-t serveses a defiecting'plate and upon which the' incoming gas making ingredients initially strike. This defiecting plote 7 is sometimes herein'referred to as an im ingement plate and constitutes or provid s ,what may be ter-med an inwardl facing deflecting plate or portion. ,This refractory bed -and the upright andtop por tions of the inner wall or lining 3 define a work on its way from the retort.

mesme gasifying chamber which: includes the gasifying zone 8 or reaction 'zone as it may be terned, that `comprehends the initial gasiying and ignition portion 9, a gasifying and fining portion 10, 'or gas fixig portion as it 'may be termeti, and a cooling or final heat storing portion 11. The retort has an air inlet pipe or opening 12 by or through which air 's introduced for the heating up of the retort to Operating temperatures. This pipo 12 is normally closed. A door or suitable closure 13 can be opened asdesired to insert nel for the heating up rocess or tor cleaning out of the retort. is door or clos ure 13- i's normally closed. Withinthe gasityingzone there is shown checkerworh of refi'actory bricks 'as 14 and 15 which serve to taksen and giveofi heat as the process function& il`hese bric ks fix the gas started in the initial gasiyin portion 9 and the gas gives ofi some of its eat in passing through 'the upper portion of the checher- The gas mahng apparatus has an oil supply pipo line 16 that receives fuel oil (or any suitable liquid hydrocerbon and which may be broadly referred to as gas producing fusi) from any suitable source of supply and this oil supply pipe 16 dischar'ges into a mixing tube 17 that extends downwardly into the gasiyingzone. Tube 17 terminates atlS a 'short distance above the deflecting or impingement plate 7. Air (or any suit able oxygen-containing medium and which maybe hroadly referred to as e combustion supporting fluid or gas) is supplied throu h the air pipe line 19 that discharges into t e mixing tube 17 wherein the air intermingles with the oil from supply pipe l@ during their passage together to the discharging point 18, thereby forming a' homogeneous mixture that is discharged at 18 into the initial gasifying and ignition portion 9 of the gasi fying zone 8. llt will be apparent that the mixed air and' oil become preheated before deli ery into the' gasifying zone and are in condition to instantaneously ignite and produce the partial combustion necessary tor the gasifyngprocess A door or closure 20 can be used to permit access to the initial gasifying portion 9 when desh-ed' A thermostat 21 extends into the intal gasifying portion 9 of the gasifying zone 8 and is arranged and associated so as to indirectly control the temperatures at this place. The thermostat has a member 22 of high expansion characteristics associated with a valve casing 23 and a member 24 of low expansion characteristics connected with suitable motion multiplying mechanism 25 that in turn is operatively associated with a valve member 26. in the valve casing 23. A valve 27 which includes the valve casing 23 and valve member 26 is in the oil pipe line 16 and the Construction and arrangement of the parts are such that the higher the temperature within the gasifying zone the greater is the openingthrough the valve 27 and vice "versa, as is apparent from the construction members. V The outer end of the member 24' which is ot' low, expansion characteristics 'Contacts at 30 with lever 31' which in turn is ivotally connected at 32 to the treme 28. he free end portion of the lever 31 actuates, preferably by adjustable slidable member v 33, the leter 34 which is in turn pivotally connected at 35 to the frame 28. The free end ot the lover 34 is associated with a talve stem 36 ot the valve member 26 and operates in opposition to the compression spring 37 that continuously presses the valve member toward and the valve ste'm into association with said 'lever 34.

By and dependent upon the adjustment of the slidahle. member 33 any tem erature within reasonahlelimits may be se acted as the desired temperature and any change from that selected temperature will cause the thermostat to operate..

The function of this thermostat and valve member controlled thereby, whereby the flow of oil is reated, is believed to be manifest without further description.

Assuming the fluid fuel gas generator is already heated to the proper tem erature for making .the desired gas, it will noted that combustion supporting fluid, such as air ozonized air or oxygen and likewise oil both in re ulated quantities, can be delivered through t e mixing tube 17'to the point 18 from which theyare'delivered into the gasifying zone 8.. The air and oil in their transit through pipe 17 thoroughly intermingle and take on more or less heat with the result that a mixture of relatively hot combustion sup orting gas and hot gas makv ing fuel are elivered' in practically the requisite quantities or ratios for the making of the desred gas.` For example, if one desiresnto make a 450 B. t. u. gas of relatively constant composition and calorfic value' from 'a certain oil this can be accomplished by' directing the oil and heated air into a asifying zone having a temperature in the Initial and main gasfying portions of approximately `1600 F. T e way in which such a gas is maintained more or less uniform is, as previously indicated, by cutting down the supply of oil to the gasifying zone if the temperature within the `gasfying zone diminish and by increasing the supply of oil if the temperatures rise. While this at first appears in a general way to upset the process, it will be noted that an almost immediate change in the combustion temperature follows so that there is agenoral, quick and relativel uniform regulation of the temperatures within the retort and for an extended period there will be practi cally uniforn maintenance of the tempera ture conditions within the retort and a relatively constant production ot gas of constant characteristics and calorific value.

When it is desired to increase or decrease the rate at which gas is produced, it is only necessary to increase or decrease the quantity of comhustion supporting gas to mining tube 17 by means of a ratve 19' (diagrammatically ndicatcd in pipe line 19 such valve preterahly being a constant volume or demand iimiting valve of the commonly known type ot valve shown in the patcnt to Fisher Letfifififi, dated May 29, 1923, in order to deliver a constant volume ot air from a source ot supply ot air having a higher pressure than is ordinarily used to flow through the line 17. 'Whereupom it the quantity of comhustion supporting gas is increased, the temperature of combustion will immediately ascend and hy means of the operation of the thermostat the supply ot oil will he promptly increased and the proper proportions ot gas making mediuns' and temperature conditions will be rest ored. the Converse of the operation obviously follows according to the apparatus shown..

lt will he manitest that by changing the proportions ot air or comhustion supporting fluid relative to the oil or as making `densed, washed out or otherwise removed from the gas.'

Mention has heretofore been made as to the bringing of the retort to gas making temperatures. It is believed that means whereby this is accomplished is apparent to one skilled in the art of gas manufacture and the preferred method isto discharge a mixture of air and oil through the mixing tube 17 into the initial gasifying and igni tion portion 9 igniting the mixture from '18 by means of kndling or a torch inserted through a properly located door, as 20, and further supplyn air through air inlet 12 and pervous bo y 6 to produce complete combustion and ?allowing the products of combustion to pass to the atmosphere through suitable purge valve, as 39, during the heating up period.

From an inspection of the drawigs it Miti will be nanifest that the piping leading' 65 a structure which is externally' hated, to (e) a thermostat exten Eflicieicy 83:

from the interior of the retort to the purge valve 39 is 'part of the gas oli-take piping or means 40 that conducts gases from the in- ;erior-of the retort; to wit, from within the upper interier portion of the gas generating zone, namely, from the cooling and final heat portion of the gas generating zone to the usual seal and otherus'ual purifying apparatus. It is also clear' from the drawin and from what has ing tube 17 extends ownwardly and in succession (d zone and eat ,storing portion 11 and the checkerwork, of refractory brick in the upper portion of the gasifying zone or reaction' zone; *(b) thence into and through the gas fixing portion 10 and the checkerwork of refractory brick therein; and (c) into and ter- :ninatin within the initial ignition portion 9 at the owerportion of the gasifving or;

reaction zone 9. It is also clear that by the process carried out within the retort there are produced gases, result' ess or reaction following t e ignition that takes place in the ignition porton 9, which gases' travel succsvely upwardly into and through the gas fixing portion 10 and the cooling and heat storing portion 11 and contact during' their travel with the Checkerwork in said portions 10 and 11 whereby heat from the pwardly moving mixing tube into the counter moving mixture within the tube; to' wit, to the down-- wardly moving mixture of fuel and com- *bustion supporting gas which upon delivery from the lower end of the mixng tube impinges in an already heated, viz preheated, condition against the inner face of the impingement and deflection plate 7 so that the igntion' takes place and the consequent reaction starts in the ignition portion of the reaction or gasifying zone. e

A typical oil gas produced within and by the 'Thwing retort may be described as i follows:

Temperature of generator-800 degrees C.

.But. u. of fgas produced er cu. ft 400 Volume o gas produce per lb. of I oil (cu. ft.)- 39 2 The expression or word. reto'rt as employed herein is not int nded to necessarily define i are 'mixed and are fe receded that the mixinto and through the cooling' from the 'precga'ses s. transmitted'to and through the walls of the wit, a structure or vessel into which hoat is` of the retort so that they react and form or re-form into other com 'tions or products in the resence of an due to heat and the other fcto'rs that function or follow. The retort of the present invention provides, as previously clearly set forth,a structure or apparatus by which a gas making or gas fixingr operation can be carried out within a re actory structure providing' (w) a gasifyn'g zone or a reaction zonewhich comrehends an initial ignition' portion, a gas portion, and a final heat storingfpo tion';-and (b) certain checkerwork of re actory brick a'rranged with respect to certain defined pa-'ts of the retort or apparatus in such manner that the advantageous results of the structure are realized as the gas generator or retort functions. 4

It will be manifest that the invention may be realized in various ways without departi from the spirit and scopo thereof.

at I claim is-- 1. A gas generator having a. metal shell with a refractory interier defining a gasifyin zone whichincludes in. successonl an intial ignition portion locatedin the lower into the hot interier portion of the gasifying zone, a gas fixing portion extending upwardl from the initial ignition portion' and a coo 'ng or final heat storing iportion extending upwardly from the gas xing ortion andlocated in the up per portion o the gasifying-zone, said gas generator having =a checkerwork of refl-actory brick located within the gasifying zone' so'that some of the checkerwork is n the gas fixing ortion and so that some of the checkerwor is within the cooling or final heat storing zone, the gas generator also having (a) a niixing tube which extends' in'wardly and downwardly through the refractory checkerwork of the cooling and final heat storing ortion and of the a:: fixing portion, and nally termnates wit the initial gasifying and ignition portion a short distance from an inwardlyfacing impingement and deflecting portion of the reportion with checkerwork therein of refractory brick, the refractory interior having an inwardly facing deflecting portion, the top of the retort having a suitable off-take means for the conducting from the gasifying zone 'of the gases produced by the process carried out within the retort, the retort also having a mixing tube extendn inwardly into the cooling portion throug the checkerwork thereof, thence into the gas fixing portion through the refractory checkerwork'thereof, and finally into and terminating within the initialasifying portion, the delivery end of sai mixing tube being adjacent but opposed to and separate from said deflecting portion, the retort having a pipe by which an oxygen-containing gas is delivered into ,said mixing tube an also a uel supply pipe provided with control means by which a regulated amount' of fiuid fuel is delivered into said mixin tube whereby the oxygen-containing gas and fuel fiowing along the interior of the miuing tube are intimately mixed and receive heatimparted -thereto through the walls ot the mining tube from the gases resulting from the process which takes place in the gasifying chamber and which heat is imparted to the incoming mixture from the hot gases resulting from the process while the hot gases are flowing, in a direction counter to the flow of the incoming mixture, toward, into and through the cooling or final heat storing portion and into the oftake means.

3. A gas-tight retort having a metal shell with a refractory interior lning ,defining a gasfying chanber with a reaction zone therein whch includes in succession an initial ignition portion, a gas fixing portion with checkerwork thereof of `refracto brick, and a final heat storng portion wit checkerwork thereof of refractory brick, the

refractory of the interior having a defiecting portion providing an inner face of the initial ignition portion, the retort having'a suitable oti-take for the conducting from the final heat storing portion of gases prointo and through the checkerwork of the final heatstorng portion, the checkerwork of the gas fixing portion, and into said initial i "tion portion and terminating below the c eckerwork, the delivery end of said mixing tube being adjacent but opposed to and separated from said deflecting ortion and arranged so that mixture there rom is thereby delivered into a 'space below the checkerwork, the retort having an air pipe by which air is delivered into said mixin tube and also a tuel supply pipe by whic suitable fuel in fluid :form is delivered to the air flowing into and along 'the interier of the mixing tube whereby the air and fuel are intimately mixed and are heated while flowing along and through themixing tube by heat transmitted to the mixture 'through the walla oi the mimng tube ironi the hot gases resulting ironi the rocess taking place in the-reaction zone an which heat transfer to the incoming mixture from the products ofreaction takes place while the products of the reaction are passing in a direction counter to 'the flow of the incoming mixture and which products pass from the initialigiition portion through the checkerwork in the fixing portion, thence through the checlterworlr in the final heat storin portion toward, into and out through the o -take ln witness whereof l have hereunto signed my name.

ORRELL 0. THW'ING.

dced by the process carried out within the retort, said retort also having a mxing tube xtending inwardly and passing successively 

